Chapter 1021 - 1023 Empress Dowager’s Questions_1
Just then, Ning Yu suddenly turned around and saw Bai Ruozhu being pulled up into the sky.
Yes, that’s right, Bai Ruozhu was absolutely convinced that he could see her, because he was startled and said subconsciously, "How could this happen?"
She wanted to ask the same question!
Ning Yu hurriedly cast a spell on Bai Ruozhu and touched another talisman, then Bai Ruozhu felt the force pulling at her body gradually weaken, and she was slowly drawn back into her own body.
Ning Yu dared not be distracted and immediately sent the souls of the three victimized children away.
Bai Ruozhu then took deep breaths, as if shocked.
"It’s okay now, the souls of Hu Zi and the other two children have been sent away, they no longer need to be controlled by others, it’s just a pity that this child, who was originally a puppet, could no longer be saved."
Bai Ruozhu also felt it was a pity, but saving one was better than none, they at least saved Hu Zi and the two others.
Ning Yu looked at Bai Ruozhu with a face full of apologies and said, "I did not expect Madam Jiang’s soul to be so weak, I almost harmed Madam Jiang, I am truly sorry."
"It’s fine, I just feel a bit dizzy, so I will take my leave now," Bai Ruozhu didn’t want to hold Ning Yu too accountable, afraid that he would find it strange and ask more questions.
Dongqing knelt down and banged her head against the ground three times, banging her forehead until it was bruised.
"Mr. Ning, thank you for saving my brother, Dongqing will be grateful for your kindness for a lifetime!"
Ning Yu quickly went to help her up, saying, "If you are grateful, stop kowtowing, aren’t you just reducing my lifespan?"
Bai Ruozhu gave Dongqing a look, signaling her to listen to Ning Yu and not to insist, and only then did Dongqing climb up, crying.
At this moment, Ning Yu recited another incantation and threw a talisman at the remaining puppet. The lightweight talisman seemed to have eyes of its own, rushing towards the puppet and then fiercely igniting upon contact.
Soon, the puppet was burned to nothing, leaving not even a hint of a smell.
Bai Ruozhu watched, dumbfounded, thinking that if this were used on a living person, wouldn’t it be just as powerful? In her heart, she had already classified the National Master and his disciples as extremely formidable, not to be provoked.
"Everything is clean now, you both can go back if you’re unharmed," Ning Yu said politely, nodding to the two of them as a gesture of farewell.
"Thank you, Mr. Ning, then we will take our leave," Bai Ruozhu bowed and turned to leave.
As she and Dongqing walked out of the Astrology Tower, she heard Ning Yu muttering to himself behind her, "How could the soul be so easily lured away? Could it be that the soul does not fit the body? But that shouldn’t be the case either, she doesn’t look like someone brought back to life in another’s body..."
Bai Ruozhu shuddered, but she couldn’t hear the rest clearly anymore.
Dongqing naturally couldn’t hear Ning Yu’s words, she didn’t know that Bai Ruozhu had almost lost her soul earlier, thinking that Bai Ruozhu was just frightened because she was timid. She felt extremely guilty, even more apologetic to the Miss.
However, Bai Ruozhu wasn’t paying attention to Dongqing’s reaction, her mind was somewhat in disarray. If the National Master himself were there today, he would probably have recognized her true identity, what would he do to her then?
And Ning Yu, obviously young and having spent years inside the Astrology Tower isolated from the outside, was thus somewhat naive, even blurting out his thoughts aloud.
Maybe he wouldn’t mention it to the National Master?
Thinking of this, Bai Ruozhu felt she should stop worrying needlessly; she just needed to make sure she avoided any further contact with the National Master and his disciples in the future.
Back at the Bai Family, the matter of the bracelet theft finally came to an end. Bai Ruozhu looked at Dongqing, whose eyes were red and swollen from crying, and for a moment, did not know how to deal with her maid.
After all, her life was fraught with hardships, which genuinely invoked sympathy; Bai Ruozhu could not bear to punish her. However, Dongqing had made a mistake and stolen from the family, colluding with the enemy. If she stayed in the Bai Family, it would be hard to justify to others, and might even set a precedent for the other servants.
"Dongqing, you cannot remain in the Bai Family," Bai Ruozhu had made up her mind and spoke.
Dongqing’s body shook, and she fell to the ground with a thud, "This servant has wronged you, Miss, wronged the Bai Family. I have no complaints about however Miss chooses to deal with me."
Bai Ruozhu sighed, "You have indeed done wrong, but I also remember that you were coerced by them and don’t want to be harsh. Your hometown’s famine has long passed, perhaps you can find some relatives there. Take this fifty taels of silver, go back to your old town, find a dependable man to marry, then buy some land or start a small business, and live a good life."
Dongqing had already cried to the point of becoming a tearful mess, "I have wronged Miss, how can I still take Miss’s money."
"Enough, no more nonsense. Without money, where can a girl like you go?" Bai Ruozhu exhaled a sigh, stuffed the silver banknote into Dongqing’s hand, and then turned and left.
Lin Ping’er happened to witness this scene, went over, and took Ruozhu’s arm, saying, "Silly girl, Mother knows you’re soft-hearted. Let Mother handle these matters next time. Besides, what you did was not wrong. Not punishing her for theft and even giving her silver to depart is already very merciful."
Bai Ruozhu smiled and said nothing. She was also somewhat emotional but resolute in no longer keeping Dongqing around.
While mother and daughter were talking, a maid came to report from outside, saying that the Empress Dowager had sent an imperial edict, inviting the young lady to the Palace to see the Empress Dowager.
Bai Ruozhu looked at the time and said with a wry smile, "I’m afraid I will have to eat lunch in the Palace. Mother, you don’t need to wait for me."
"Mmm, you go quickly, don’t keep the Empress Dowager waiting," urged Lin Ping’er.
Bai Ruozhu followed the eunuch who delivered the edict and soon entered the Palace, arriving at the Empress Dowager’s residence, Cining Palace.
Upon entering, she saw Princess Diao Bin was also present, yet the Main Hall was devoid of other palace maids, only leaving the Empress Dowager’s trusted Nanny and a senior palace maid by her side.
It was evident that neither the Empress Dowager nor Princess Diao Bin wanted too many people to know.
Princess Diao Bin’s hair was still snow white, her complexion had grown even paler, even carrying some hints of autumn’s bleakness, resembling the breath of a person in the twilight of their life, which absolutely shouldn’t appear on an eighteen-year-old girl.
Bai Ruozhu quickly curtsied, "Bai Ruozhu pays her respects to the Empress Dowager and Princess Diao Bin."
"There are no outsiders here, there’s no need for such formality," the Empress Dowager’s voice was somewhat hoarse. Only then did Bai Ruozhu take a good look at her, feeling that she had suddenly become much more gaunt; those eyes which always seemed to smile had dulled, the swelling underneath the eyes, and the wrinkles at the corners were more pronounced.
How long had it been since she had last seen the Empress Dowager? She seemed to have aged ten years!
After returning to the Capital, neither the Empress Dowager nor the Emperor had mentioned the matter of Princess Diao Bin. Once the Princess returned to the Palace, there was no news, and as time passed, Bai Ruozhu began to feel uneasy, worrying if the Empress Dowager would blame her?
Even Diao Yao asked a few times, saying she missed her sister Diao Bin.
Now, seeing the Empress Dowager’s appearance, Bai Ruozhu understood that the Empress Dowager was not annoyed with her but had found out about Princess Diao Bin’s condition and was too bereft to entertain guests for a good while.
"Ruozhu, I heard that Diao Bin might be cursed. What do you think?" the Empress Dowager suddenly asked.
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Mouka had safely arrived home, but he was extremely fatigued in both body and mind. To sum it up: he never wanted to take his child on a long journey by himself again, the child was too excited and simply uncontrollable, and many things were not as optimistic as he had imagined...